Multiple tests have been developed for detecting components in urine. Such tests can provide information about overall health as well as provide an indication of a health problem. When timely administered, such tests can also be able to provide an early indication of a health problem, which can be very advantageous for effective treatment. By way of examples, urine testing can be used to detect urinary tract infections, diabetes (including diabetic ketoacidosis), parasites, dehydration, dietary defects, cancer, high blood pressure, kidney disease, asthma, severe emphysema, alcoholism, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), glomerulonephritis, and leukemia.
Such tests can be performed by having a patient voluntarily collect and provide a sample. However, patient collected urine samples may not be readily available with certain test subjects such as children, elderly adults, and injured or non-ambulatory patients. Additionally, it can be preferable to collect and test urine samples from these subjects at certain times or conditions where the patient is not necessarily in the presence of medical or otherwise specially trained personnel. Frequently, such subjects can be provided with a diaper or other absorbent article to collect urine and provide for disposal in a hygienic manner. Of course, these articles must be periodically checked to determine whether urine and other bodily waste has been collected. In addition, current test methods generally require a controlled reading window. However, it is not always feasible to carefully monitor testing, particularly in consumer-based applications.
Specific developments have been provided for collecting and detecting urine samples using a diaper and/or an absorbent article. Nonetheless, tests can still display inaccurate results if left in air or other oxidizing environments for too great a period of time. For instance, certain compounds can undergo an oxidation reaction if left in air or other oxidizing environment for too great a period of time. The resulting oxidized compounds can possess a certain color that indicates a “false positive” or at the very least, adversely affect the ability to determine the presence or absence of the analytes. Additionally, multiple urine insults can affect the accuracy of test results.
Thus, a need exists for testing devices that do not need careful monitoring to obtain accurate results. An absorbent article that incorporates such a device would be particularly beneficial. Additionally, an absorbent article that can also provide, in certain embodiments, an effective urine test for detecting and reporting a urinary tract infection would also be particularly beneficial.